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System Center 2012 – Licensing Update

On January 17th 2012, Microsoft announced both the release and licensing changes coming with System Center 2012

Microsoft will re-align the whole of the System Center suite of products across two main editions, namely Datacenter and Standard Edition, and both will include all components and capability to manage any workload. The option to procure individual components of the System Center stack will be removed.

There will no longer be a requirement for a license for the Management Server and only the endpoints that are managed by System Center will need a license. This will include both managed servers (via Server MLs) and managed clients (via Client MLs). SQL technology will also be integrated into the endpoint license(s).

Microsoft have also provided a license grant for existing Software Assurance (SA) customers to support the transition to the new 2012 product stack and licensing model.

There will also be updates to Enrolment for Core Infrastructure the Core IO procurement model that combines Windows Server and System Center – will be covered in a subsequent article.

Server Management Licenses (Server MLs)

The Server ML for Datacenter Edition license will support a single server with two processors.

The Server ML for Standard Edition license will support a single server with two processors; or will be determined by the number of managed OSEs, whichever is greater.

Licenses will need to be ‘stacked’ to support a single server with more than 2 processors.

Each license covers up to 2 Processors

All Physical Processors on a Server must be licensed with the same Server ML Edition

Server MLs include SQL Server Technology and can manage any type of workload

The ‘Tipping Point’ that determines the choice of the edition will be dependent on the level of virtualization and the Server configuration.

Datacenter Edition will support unlimited OSEs when the Server is hosted on-premise and 8 OSEs when managed in a Service Provider’s Server farm.

Standard Edition will support 2 OSEs when the Server is hosted on-premise and 2 OSEs when managed in a Service Provider’s Server farm.

System Center Standard Edition allows for 2 managed OSEs per license.

System Center Datacenter Edition allows for an Unlimited # OSEs per license

System Center Standard Edition can be ‘stacked’ to support more Virtual OSEs (VOSE)

A customer with a Physical Operating System Environment (POSE) will favour Standard Edition.

A customer with a highly virtualised Operating System Environment (VOSE) will favour Datacenter Edition.

Software Assurance (SA) is included as default. This will support Mobility Rights for SA to use the VL (Volume License) in a Service Providers DC.

If the customer chooses ECAL, they will also receive (in addition to the Client MLs within Core CAL): System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), Data Protection Manager (SCDPM), Service Manager (SCSM) and now Orchestrator.

The Server MLs are now all-inclusive of the System Center portfolio, the Client MLs will enable access from that Core IO solution for all endpoint devices.

The Client Management Suite Client ML and Configuration Manager Client ML and EndPoint Protection are required for managed client devices supported by System Center Datacenter or Standard Edition. This is licensed on a Per User or Per OSE basis and Individual Components will not be available separately. If a Server Management technology is used, please ensure there is a corresponding Client ML (as below) to support management of that end-point device.

[Ref: Microsoft System Center 2012 Licensing Datasheet]

SA Migration Paths

It is recommend you work with your preferredLAR to understand the impact on your current estate and plan your procurement.

If you have Software Assurance (SA) coverage on your current System Center license footprint at the time of System Center 2012 General Availability (GA), you will receive the following System Center 2012 Server ML grants at a set ratio.

[Ref: Microsoft System Center 2012 Licensing Datasheet]

If you have Software Assurance (SA) coverage on your current System Center license footprint at the time of System Center 2012 General Availability (GA) , you will receive the following System Center 2012 Server ML grants at a set ratio.

Retirement of SMSD and SMSE

For information purposes, SMSD and SMSE are a licensing suite of Server MLs that will be retired. Below is the retiring licensing model that will be replaced with System Center Datacenter Edition and System Center Standard Edition.

The Server ML stack was provided through System Center Server Management Suite Enterprise (SMSE) and the System Center Server Management Suite Datacenter (SMSD). Both suites include the following specific components:

The System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 and System Center Data Protection Manager Management Server licenses were included with the purchase of the Server Management Licenses (Server MLs)for these products.

The Server Management Suite Enterprise (SMSE) provides rights to manage up to four (4) Virtual Operating System Environments (VOSEs) plus the Physical Operating System Environment (POSE); provided the POSE is limited to supporting the virtualization capability per license.

The Server Management Suite Datacenter provides rights to manage an unlimited number of operating system environments (OSEs) on a single physical server.

(Ref: July 2010 Product List – Page 129 of 137)

Recommendations

At the end of the current agreement term, customers should do a self-inventory, documenting the number of processors in each server in use with System Center. This will enable customers to receive the appropriate number of processor licenses based on System Center 2012 to continue their current deployments.

Customers should do this self-inventory using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit or other inventory tools and processes to accurately archive a time/date stamped inventory of hardware tied to System Center installations.

Customer can also work with a Microsoft Partner to understand the current managed estate and plan for current and future requirements.

EA Timelines

The following will need to be confirmed with Microsoft, please work with your LAR to understand impact to your contract(s)

Current stand-alone Licenses w. Software Assurance (SA) on the Customer Pricing Sheet (CPS) can be bought until the next anniversary on the contract.*

Current SMSE and SMSD licenses that are on the Customer Pricing Sheet (CPS) can be bought until the end of the enrolment.

Select and Open Agreement Timelines

The following will need to be confirmed with Microsoft, please work with your LAR to understand impact to your contract(s)

Current stand-alone Licenses w. Software Assurance (SA) can be bought until 31st January 2012*

Current Software Assurance (SA) can be renewed until System Center General Availability (GA)

SMSE and SMSD licenses can be bought until System Center General Availability (GA)

Current Stand Alone Licenses can be bought until January 2013*

*Needs to be confirmed with Microsoft

Reference

Please be aware that I now work at SoftwareONE and will now be providing my licensing expertise through our advisory services . So please do get in contact with me directly if you would like to have a bespoke review for your organisation (available to organisations with UK operations).

Our specialist team can assist you to purchase the correct licenses, at the best price, through the right program. Please email my directly to arrange a meeting or call.

– Tony Mackelworth

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